


How many astronauts does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

by Hezaia



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers, the ISS crew, the International Space Station crew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 02:28:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21236633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hezaia/pseuds/Hezaia
Summary: They were astronauts, not boat builders, but that in itself didn’t make them incompetent.Also, it was really a no-brainer that they had to get back to the mainland somehow, because out there on the island, even lesser injuries and illnesses (not to even mention childbirth) could very well prove deadly.





	How many astronauts does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the series, but sometimes, certain events and character decisions make me want to scream. 
> 
> And so this short thing came about.

**-o0o-**

In a way, it could be said that they had lucked out. Of course, the situation was by no means ideal; they had managed to secure a boat and get there just in time before oxygen ran out for the three that had been trapped in the pod floating upside-down out at sea, but it had taken Ishigami Byakuya many gruelling hours to do so. Also, even after Lillian, Shamil and Connie had been saved, they had only been able to go back to the uninhabited island where Byakuya, Yakov and Darya had landed.

Granted, there were certain resources there – used efficiently, these resources were more than enough to sustain their small population, but if the population grew substantially, then things like building material and firewood would eventually run out. As such, it was a mutual decision not to immediately start ‘repopulating the Earth’ and whatnot; there was also the inherent risk that childbirth posed to the women. Yakov and Darya were doctors, but with limited access to medical supplies and equipment, they would only be able to do so much in a worst-case scenario.

As such, it was really a no-brainer that they had to get back to the mainland somehow, because out there on the island, even lesser injuries and illnesses could very well prove deadly.

Also, the batteries of their laptops would only last for so long, and even if they could get a signal on their satellite phone, they didn’t have anyone to communicate with. What they did have however was the foresight of having opened up a shitload of tabs on sailing and boat construction, and even if they didn’t have access to their exact position now, they could still make educated guesses by looking at the position and movements for the sun, moon and stars.

They were after all astronauts.

**-o0o-**

They were astronauts, not boatbuilders, but that in itself didn’t make them incompetent. If the old Polynesians could build canoes and make voyages to islands thousands of miles out into the open Pacific using only wayfinding techniques and knowledge passed down through the generations, then how could a bunch of highly educated astronauts not manage to do the same with the knowledge they had at hand?

It wasn’t easy per se, but was it impossible? Definitely not.

**-o0o-**

Sometime later, they happened upon a big yacht drifting out on the open sea. Its occupants – presumably its owners – had been petrified while sunbathing out on deck. It was an uncanny sight, but a strangely welcome one nonetheless – Because now they had a better map and enough fuel to reach their next destination.

**-o0o-**

They eventually made it back to the humble abode of Ishigami Byakuya. Senku wasn’t there; considering the time of the petrification event, he had probably been at school, and Byakuya wasn’t quite ready to see that kind of sight yet.

Instead, he found himself standing in his son’s room, overlooking his son’s workstation. The computer was still on, but they’d need to type in a password in order to log in, and knowing Senku, the password was probably something incredibly difficult and−

Connie discreetly cleared her throat. “…I might be able to help with that?”

**-o0o-**

On Senku’s computer, there was a map with tags marking locations wherein petrified swallows had been found. Next to it, there was also a note – it was unusually short and to the point, and underlined at that: _Nital_.

Nital – a solution of nitric acid and alcohol. Primary usage: etching metals.

Byakuya laughed in spite of the seriousness of the situation. “Well, we obviously have to try it out! Let’s test it on the petrified birds first!”

**-o0o-**

_“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”_

Such were the words of Neil Armstrong when he first stepped onto the moon in 1969.

Ishigami Byakuya could very much relate to the sentiment, especially when the stone crust cracked and broke apart, revealing his son at long last.

_“Senku!”_

“Old man, you’re late.”

Byakuya then received a disturbingly accurate account of just how many seconds his son’s petrification had lasted, and he laughed and cried all at once, hugging Senku tightly.

Others were crying too. Shamil wasn’t. He was eating cup ramen while averting his eyes from the spectacle.

**-o0o-**

_“All right!”_ Ishigami Byakuya finally said, his nose and eyes red and his voice thick from all the emotion. “Let’s do this!”

**-o0o-**

_And so… humanity was saved?_


End file.
